Exploring the jungle of LA's nightlife can be great fun. Everyone
you meet claims to be either a rock star or in the movies. Even the
quietest venue offers a chance to eavesdrop on a bit of vapid Less Than
Zero dialogue; the most raucous ones will take your breath away. In all
the pubs, clubs and discos, you'll need to be 21 and will almost
certainly be asked for ID.
The best sources of listings are LA Weekly and the "Calendar" section in
the LA Times on Fridays.
Bars, pubs and coffeehouses
LA's bars and pubs are rarely the scruffy boozing places found elsewhere
in the US, due in part to the generally high degree of health
consciousness - not to mention the very early (daybreak) starting time
of the movie business working day. As.As elsewhere along the west
coast, coffee houses are established all over the city as popular
meeting places.
Barney's Beanery 8447 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood tel
213/654-2287. Well-worn pool-hall bar popular with graying rebels and
sullen youth, stocking over 200 beers. It also serves food of marginal
quality.
Boardner's 1652 N Cherokee Ave, Hollywood tel 323/462-9621. A likeably
unkempt neighborhood bar with a mix of salty old-timers and hip newbies.
Cat 'n' Fiddle 6530 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/468-3800. Boisterous
British expat pub with good beers and live music.
The Dresden Room 1760 N Vermont Ave, Hollywood tel 323/665-42984. Wed
night is open mike, otherwise the resident husband-and-wife lounge act
takes requests from the crowd.
El Adobe 5536 Melrose Ave, Mid-Wilshire tel 323/462-9421. An old
favorite for potent margaritas, B-list celebs and a laid-back So-Cal
vibe, though the Mexican food is rather insipid.
Gotham Hall 1431 Third St Promenade, Santa Monica tel 310/394-8865.
Purple-felt pool tables and mind-numbing cocktails are the main draw for
the youthful clientele here. Also draws its share of inquisitive
tourists from the Promenade.
Insomnia 7286 Beverly Blvd, West LA tel 323/931-4943. One of the more
chic and trendy coffee joints in the area, with amateur art on the walls
and not too many poseurs.
King's Road Espresso House 8361 Beverly Blvd, Hollywood tel
323/655-9044. Sidewalk café popular day and night with West Hollywood's
neo-beatnik crowd.
Lava Lounge 1533 N La Brea, Hollywood tel 323/876-6612. Cheesy, retro
decor, glowing cocktails and plenty of rock and surf music, along with
Brubeck jazz and lounge favorites.
Little Frida's 8730 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood tel 310/854-5421.
Art, coffee, and pastries served to a mixed straight and gay crowd; also
with comedy and music acts.
The Novel Café 212 Pier Ave, Santa Monica tel 310/396-8566. Stacks of
used books and high-backed wooden chairs at this fairly unpretentious
café, with good coffees, teas and pastries, and funky old sofas on the
mezzanine to curl up in.
The Red Setter Irish Pub 2615 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica tel
310/828-9839. Plenty of darts and beer, and a mixed crowd of locals and
expats.
Tiki-Ti 4427 W Sunset Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/669-9381. Tiny grass-skirted
cocktail bar straight out of Hawaii Five-0 . The Filipino owners mix
deadly concoctions at about $6 a hit.
Ye Olde Kings Head 116 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica tel 310/451-1402.
Prime LA spot for English expats playing darts, swigging British brews
and munching on steak-and-kidney pie.
Clubs and discos
LA's clubs are among the wildest in the country, ranging from absurdly
faddish hangouts to industrial noise cellars. The trendier side of the
club scene is, as always, hard to pin down; check the LA Weekly before
setting out.
Dragonfly 6510 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/466-6111. Disco
and house music, with the odd bit of rock at this established hipster
hangout featuring two large dance floors and a so-called "eye-contact"
bar.
Florentine Gardens 5951 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/464-0706. A
fun, unpretentious dance club catering to the under-21 set. Stuck
between the Salvation Army and a porno theater in a seedier section of
Hollywood.
Mayan 1038 S Hill St, downtown tel 213/746-4287. Get past the doorman
and you're in with LA's coolest, eager to shake a leg to Latin, fusion
and salsa in gorgeous and historic surrounds done up in pre-Columbian
style.
Playroom 836 N Highland Ave, Hollywood tel 323/461-8301. Where LA goth-rockers
and industrial noise-makers come out to play, with plenty of aggressive,
ear-popping sounds.
Sugar 814 Broadway, Santa Monica tel 310/899-1989. The entire range of
electronic beats, from house to hip hop, can be found at this sleek
glass-and-steel-styled club.
Union 8210 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood tel 323/654-1001. Relaxed supper
club with funk, soul and R&B groove room. Centrally located on the
Sunset Strip and frequented by the young actor crowd on Tuesday nights.
The Viper Room 8852 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood tel 310/358-1881.
Stellar live acts playing house to swing to disco to jazz, and a famous
owner to boot. Best known as the spot where River Phoenix met his end.
Cover varies.
Live music
LA has an overwhelming choice of venues for live music . Ever since the
nihilistic punk bands - Circle Jerks, X, Black Flag - drew the city away
from its laid-back west coast country-folk scene in the late Seventies
and early Eighties, LA's.
rock music has been excellent, with up-and-comers traditionally
getting their first break in clubs on the Sunset Strip. Authentic
country music is also fairly prevalent, at least away from trendy
Hollywood. Jazz , too, is played in a few genuinely authentic downbeat
dives, though more commonly found being used to improve a restaurant's
atmosphere. Reggae , though popular with many, is much less common.
Salsa is pervasive among LA's Hispanic population, and is found in the
male-oriented bars of East LA and increasingly in some of the clubs of
the Westside. In many of these clubs, cover charges can vary widely,
depending on the prominence of the headliner and the night of the week,
so call ahead.
Babe and Ricky's Inn 4339 Leimert Blvd, South Central tel 323/295-9112.
One of LA's best venues for blues, where nationally known acts drop in
on occasion.
The Baked Potato 6266 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood t323/461-6400. A small but
legendary contemporary jazz spot, where many reputations have been
forged.
B.B. King's Blues Club 1000 Universal Center Drive, Universal City tel
818/6-BBKING. Get past the garish exterior of Universal's CityWalk mall,
and it's all catfish, deep-fried pickle and Southern hospitality. The
club room called Lucille's features acoustic blues at the weekend.
The Conga Room 5364 Wilshire Blvd, Mid-Wilshire tel 323/938-1696. A high-profile
celebrity investment results in a surprisingly appealing feast of Cuban
food and Latin music, heavy on the mambo and salsa.
The Derby 4500 Los Feliz Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/663-8979. Swing,
rockabilly and bebop, with dance lessons to get you up to speed. Drinks
are club-pricey, but the circular bar, domed wooden ceiling and swing
are hard to resist.
Doug Weston's Troubadour 9081 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood tel
310/276-6168. Less heavy metal than of old, featuring a newer blend of
acoustic and alternative acts, but still a good place for heavy riffs
and shaggy manes.
El Floridita 1253 N Vine St, Hollywood tel 323/871-8612. Don't let the
mini-mall setting deter you; this is a prime spot for Cuban and salsa
acts, and also has good Mexican food.
The Foothill Club 1922 Cherry Ave, Signal Hill tel 562/984-8349. A
glorious country dance hall from the days when hillbilly was cool. Punk,
surf and roots-rock Thurs to Sat. Also offers the occasional dose of
garage bands and dance music.
Gabah 4658 Melrose Ave, Mid-Wilshire tel 323/664-8913. Located in one of
the truly abysmal corners of the city sprawl, this eclectic spot mixes
reggae, dub, funk and rock - fun despite the surrounding gloom.
Golden Sails Hotel 6285 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach tel
562/596-1631. Has some of the best reggae bands from LA and beyond on
Fridays and Saturdays. Located in an anonymous Long Beach hotel setting.
House of Blues 8430 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood tel 323/848-5100.
Incongruous mock sugar shack, with excellent but pricey live music
nightly. Good local-name hip hop, R&B and blues. Always very popular
with tourists.
Kingston 12 814 Broadway, Santa Monica tel 310/451-4423. Reggae tunes on
periodic weekends in a nice and small venue.
Largo 432 N Fairfax Ave, Mid-Wilshire tel 323/852-1073. Intimate cabaret
venue with some of LA's more interesting rock bands.
Luminarias 3500 Ramona Blvd, Monterey Park, East LA tel 323/268-4177. A
hilltop Mexican restaurant where the live salsa is as good as the spicy
food. Fri and Sat shows.
McCabe's 3103 W Pico Blvd, Santa Monica tel 310/828-4497. The back room
of LA's premier acoustic guitar shop; long the scene of excellent and
unusual folk and country shows.
Opium Den 1605 1/2 N Ivar Ave, Hollywood tel 323/466-7800. A strip club
turned nightclub with an array of upcoming rock and punk acts taking
turns on the overly small stage.
The Roxy 9009 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood tel 310/276-2222. The showcase
of the rock industry's new signings, intimate and with a great sound
system.
Rusty's Surf Ranch 256 Santa Monica Pier tel 310/393-PIER. Loaded with
out-of-towners, but still good for live folk and country, along with
karaoke and, of course, surf music.
Whisky-a-Go-Go 8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood tel 310/652-4202. Thanks
to the Doors, for many years LA's most famous rock'n'roll club, nowadays
featuring mainly hard rock.
Classical music, opera and dance
While not blessed with the same institutional largesse of east coast
cities, LA has an increasing number of classical music venues. The Los
Angeles Philharmonic (tel 213/850-2000, ), the city's only major name,
performs.
regularly during the year with nationally known conductor Esa-Pekka
Salonen at the helm. San Francisco has more of an opera scene, although
LA Opera (tel 213/972-8001, ) stages productions between September and
June, as does Orange County's Opera Pacific (tel 1-800/34-OPERA, based
in Costa Mesa; ), which performs both grand opera and operettas. Perhaps
the city's most exciting company is the Long Beach Opera (tel
562/439-2580, ), which is anything but provincial, putting on
challenging but well-regarded performances of modern and lesser-known
operas.
The last twenty years have seen an increase in smaller-scaled chamber
music and period performance groups, most prominently the LA Baroque
Orchestra (tel 310/458-0425) and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (tel
213/622-7001, ), and an upsurge in dance activity as well, with UCLA's
Dance Kaleidoscope (tel 323/343-5120, ), running two weeks in July, as
one of the artistic highlights.
The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in the Music Center, 135 N Grand Ave,
downtown tel 213/972-7211 or 972-7460, . Home to the LA Philharmonic
from October until May. Also used by the LA Opera and even the Oscars,
presented biannually here.
The Hollywood Bowl 2301 N Highland Ave, Hollywood tel 323/850-2000, .
The LA Philharmonic gives open-air concerts Tues-Sat evenings from July
to Sept, leaning toward familiar pops offerings.
Japan America Theatre 244 S San Pedro St, downtown tel 213/680-3700, .
Dance and performance works drawn from Japan and the Far East.
John Anson Ford Theater 2850 Cahuenga Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/461-3673,
. As well as UCLA's summer "Dance Kaleidoscope," this open-air venue
also has one-off productions by local groups.
Orange County Performing Arts Center 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
tel 714/556-ARTS, . Home of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra and Opera
Pacific, as well as touring big names in pop and jazz.
Pacific Amphitheater 100 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa tel 949/740-2000. A big
open-air venue drawing main stream crowds, Orange County's answer to the
Hollywood Bowl.
Pasadena Dance Theater 1985 Locust Ave, Pasadena tel 626/683-3459, . A
prominent San Gabriel Valley dance venue, hosting diverse groups
throughout the year.
Royce Hall on the UCLA campus tel 310/825-9261 or 825-2101. Classical
concerts throughout the college year, often involving big names. Usually
Sept-June.
The Shrine Auditorium 665 W Jefferson Blvd tel 213/749-5123, box office
at 655 S Hill St. A striking white-Islamic domed complex hosting regular
performances by choral gospel groups and alternate Academy Awards
ceremonies.
UCLA Center for the Performing Arts tel 310/825-4401, . Coordinates a
wide range of touring companies, and also runs the experimentally
inclined "Art of Dance" series between September and June.
Comedy clubs
The comedy scene in LA has long been known as the national proving
ground for aspiring funnymen and -women, and it's also a good place to
catch live performances by established television names like Jay Leno
and Drew Carey.
Acme Comedy Theater 135 N La Brea Ave, West Hollywood tel 323/525-0202.
A broad range of sketch and improv comedy, hosting the odd big name.
Comedy & Magic Club 1018 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach tel 310/372-1193.
Strange couplings of magic acts and comedians, highlighted by Jay Leno
occasionally testing material.
The Comedy Store 8433 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood tel 323/656-6225.
Popular comedy showcase spread over three rooms; you can usually get in,
even on weekends.
Groundlings Theater 7307 Melrose Ave, Hollywood tel 323/934-9700. Only
the gifted survive at this pioneering improvisation venue, where Pee Wee
Herman got his start.
The Improvisation 8162 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood tel 323/651-2583.
Prime destination for out-of-town comedy-lovers - so book ahead. Peer
through the dark to see big names watching their buddies perform.
LA Connection 13442 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks tel 818/784-1868. An
improvisation showcase for highly rated specialists in the art of being
obnoxious. Seldom less than memorable.
Theater
We've listed a few selections from LA's very active theater scene;
ticket services like Times Tix (tel 310/659-3678) and Theater LA (tel
213/614-0556, ) provide full- and half-price tickets and offer
reservations.
The LA Weekly and the LA Times "Calendar" section have full listings
and reviews. Expect to pay $10-25 for smaller shows, and $30 and up for
the big touring productions.
Alex Theater 216 N Brand Blvd, Glendale tel 1-800/872-8997. Gloriously
restored movie palace that now features a fine range of musical theater,
comedy, film and one-person shows.
The Complex 6476 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/469-9338. An
association of six small theaters putting on edgy, innovative works you
may not see anywhere else.
Coronet Theater 368 N La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood tel 310/657-7377.
Home of the LA Public Theater; productions include a famous name or two.
Also home to the Youth Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Geffen Playhouse 10886 Le Conte Ave, Westwood tel 310/208-5454. Small
theater across from UCLA with frequent one-person shows. Showcased
playwrights have included comedian Steve Martin.
Mark Taper Forum 135 N Grand Ave, downtown tel 213/972-0700. Theater in
the three-quarter round, sometimes putting on innovative new plays but
mostly known for its conservatism and adherence to the established
repertoire.
Powerhouse Theater 3116 2nd St, Santa Monica tel 310/396-3680.
Experimental, alternative shows, located in a former electrical station
for the Red Car transit line.
Shubert Theater 2020 Avenue of the Stars, Century City tel
1-800/447-7400. The only good thing about Century City is that you can
come here to ogle the big razzmatazz musicals.
Film
Feature films are often released in LA months (or years) before they
play anywhere else in the world. Short seasons of foreign-language films
are screened at the eight Laemmle Theaters. If you're after a golden-age
atmosphere , head for one of the historic downtown movie palaces along
Broadway, where the delirious furnishings may hold your attention longer
than the all-action double bills. You can catch mainstream new releases
in one of the many mall-based multiplexes, like the Beverly Center
Cineplex, 8500 Beverly Blvd, West LA (tel 310/652-7760), AMC Century 14,
10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Century City (tel 310/553-8900) or the
Universal City 18, at Universal Studios' CityWalk, San Fernando Valley (tel
818/508-0588).
Bing Theater at the LA County Art Museum, 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Mid-Wilshire
tel 323/857-6010. Afternoon screenings of many neglected Hollywood
classics. Matinees cost just $2, evening shows $8.
Chinese Theatre 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/464-8186.
Landmark cinema with stylish decor, giant screen and six-track stereo
sound - absolutely the best place to see a big-budget flick; on opening
weekends draws a cheering crowd.
Egyptian Theater 6712 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/466-FILM.
Renovated showcase for classic and foreign films, in the middle of
Hollywood, offering a wild design and frequent film festivals with an
eclectic selection.
El Capitan Theater 6834 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood tel 323/467-7674.
Another legendary Hollywood venue, restored to full glory and recently
renovated for a second time. Expect to see plenty of animated and live-action
Disney fare.
New Beverly Cinema 7165 Beverly Blvd, Mid-Wilshire tel 323/938-4038.
Imaginative double bills for cult, art and classic films.
Nuart Theater 11272 Santa Monica Blvd, West LA tel 310/478-6379. Rare
classics, foreign films and documentaries. Often the December screening
room of choice for Oscar hopefuls, so be prepared for a lengthy line
outside.
Orpheum 842 S Broadway, downtown tel 213/239-0939. The grandest of the
remaining downtown movie palaces open to the public. The action-oriented
fare may be insipid, but the French Renaissance and Baroque decor is not.
Rialto 1023 Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena tel 626/799-9567. Aging
Moorish and pre-Columbian revival palace, famed as the spot where Tim
Robbins tracks down and kills a screenwriter in The Player .
Silent Movie 611 N Fairfax Ave, West LA tel 323/655-2510. As its name
suggests, showings of silent Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Ramon Navarro
thrillers and so on. Every show is accompanied by an organist.
Sports in LA
Baseball : the LA Dodgers (tel 323/224-1459) play at Dodger Stadium near
downtown, seats $6-21; Anaheim Angels (tel 1-888/796-4256) at Anaheim
Stadium in Orange County, seats $6-30.
Basketball : the NBA champion LA Lakers (tel 310/419-3182) and the LA
Clippers (tel 213/745-0500) both play at the Staples Center south of
downtown. The always-mediocre Clippers are a cheap date ($10-68) while
the better, flashier Lakers will cost you plenty for decent seats
($25-175).
Football : Pasadena's 102,000-seat Rose Bowl (tel 626/577-3100), seven
miles northeast of downtown LA, is the site of the annual New Year's
Rose Bowl football game, but if you're after pro football, you're out of
luck: LA hasn't had a franchise in years.
Hockey : the LA Kings are also based at the Staples Center (tel 1-888/KINGS-LA),
seats $18-90, while the Mighty Ducks represent Orange County and play at
Arrowhead Pond (tel 714/704-2500) in Anaheim, seats $25-170.
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